Method of making warp knitted pile fabric with multiple laid-in weft bind



July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 27, 1958 if Kev 6T July 11, 1961 R. s.M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filed June 27, 95

17 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CCAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1958 R. s. M ccAFFRAY, JR2,991,638 METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLELAID-IN WEFT BIND July 11, 1961 17 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 27, 1958 oo INVENTOR 5X Keg: 8 MddQ/fi'dfifi TORNEYS'.

M CAFFRAY, JR NG WARP KNIT Jul 11, 1961 R. 5. 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKI TED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BIND FiledJune 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 z na g, I' "15.. I

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 1, 3

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filed June 27, 1.958 1? Sheets-Sheet 6 ATTORNEYS.

Jul 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Flled June 27, 1958 my wzwd J; U

R. s. M ccAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638 METHOD OF WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC N WEFTBIND MAKING July 11, 1961 WITH MULTIPLE LAID-I l7 Sheets-Sheet 8 FiledJune 27, 1958 TORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. S. M CAFFRA METHOD OF MAKING WARP WITH MULTIPLE LAFiled June 27, 1958 KNITTED PILE FABRIC ID-IN WEFT BIND 17 Sheets-Sheet9' 12.; in 1 Q v l i *j x 1* 1 7a 4 0 I 7% v 0 Q O if INVENTOR July 11,1961 R. S. MaccAFFRAY, JR, 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED FILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filfid June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 xii; /2.

INVENTOR Rex 6- Mac Calf/r2 4 Y, JR 2,991,638 NITTED PILE FABRIC D- NWEFT BIND 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 11 M CAFFRA NG WARP K July 11, 1961 R 5METHOD OF MAKI WITH MULTIPLE LAI Filed June 27, 1958 EINTOR fie J MacJuly 11, 1961 R. s. MEICCAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 SheetsSheet 12 72 1 as 0 7 7; 76 75 OINVENTOR fez J MacCaf/rafifit July 11, 1961 R s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638METHOD OF wxmc WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFT BINDFiled June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 70 if a;

INVENT July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE. LAID-IN WEFTBIND l7 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed June 27, 1958 I g s Ken: 51

ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,538

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 72 7a 73 73 I 7 O 6 w 0 -61? L AW 7;

INVENTOR E614 J- /l f e'6afira%viif ATTORNEYS.

July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEFTBIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 16 INVENTOR 1 2g. Z0.

ATTORNEYS July 11, 1961 R. s. M CAFFRAY, JR 2,991,638

METHOD OF MAKING WARP KNITTED PILE FABRIC WITH MULTIPLE LAID-IN WEIFTBIND Filed June 27, 1958 17 Sheets-Sheet 17 f INVENTOR Jig Re)! 5.MacCaffid y,

ATTORNEYS v United Filed June 27, 1958, Ser. No. 745,178 6 Claims. (Cl.66-85) The present invention relates to warp knitted pile fabric,particularly of the character of carpets and rugs and to methods of warpknitting.

This application has been divided and the subject matter relating to thefabric has been embodied in divisional application, Serial No. 835,611,filed August 24, 1959, for Warp Knitted Pile Fabric With MultipleLaid-In Weft Bind.

The present application is a continuation-in-part of my copendingapplication Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, for KnittingFabric Having Laid-In Weft, now abandoned, in respect to claim 13thereof.

A purpose of the invention is to bind pile projections formed from pileyarn located between knitting chains by a plurality of binding weftsextending above the pile yarn ends in the same course between adjoiningpile projections walewise.

A further purpose is to bind pile projections in a warp knitted pilefabric by a plurality of adjoining binding wefts in the same courseextending between adjoining pile projections walewise.

A further purpose is to bind projections of pile yarn ends betweenknitting chains by a plurality of binding wefts in the same course whichare respectively on opposite sides of the pile projections.

A further purpose is to lay in backing weft, form pile by wrapping pileyarn ends around plush points, lay in a plurality of binding wefts overeach pile yarn end per course, and form knitted stitches which grip thebacking wefts and the plurality of binding wefts.

A further purpose is to form the laid-in binding wefts by shogging overat least two wales (three needles) in a single step executed afterwrapping the pile yarn ends around the plush points.

A further purpose is to form the laid-in binding wefts by shogging intwo steps, each over at least one Wale, one of the steps being executedbefore wrapping the pile yarn ends around the plush points and the otherof the steps being performed after wrapping the pile yarn ends aroundthe plush point-s.

A further purpose is to produce a warp knitted pile fabric having a faceof intermediate density.

A further purpose is to form a warp knitted pile fabric having a face ofconcentrated density.

A further purpose is to obtain selective variation in orientation ofpile projections by varying stitch direction according to a repeat, andthus influencing the position of the pile projections held by themultiple laid-in binding weft, whether in the adjoining multiple bindingweft form or in the split multiple binding weft form. This may beemployed using alternating right and left hand stitches, or usingsuccessions of two or more right hand stitches and two or more left handstitches, or using uneven successions of left hand stitches and righthand stitches, according to a pattern repeat.

A further purpose is to lay in three or more binding Patented July 11,1961 2 wefts on a single course, laying in one binding weft before andtwo or more after forming a loop or laying in two binding wefts beforeand one or more after,'as desired.

A further purpose is to extend the laid-in binding weft diagonally overat least one or more wales in a plurality of courses, or to extend thelaid-in binding weft diagonally over one or more wales in a plurality ofcourses and then coursewise over one or more wales.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerousembodiments in which the invention may appear, selecting the forms shownfrom the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

FIGURES 1 to 8 are diagrammatic stepwise vertical machine diagramsshowing the steps of forming the fabric according to the invention.

FIGURES 1a to 8a are diagrammatic stepwise fragmentary plan viewsshowing the formation of the fabric according to FIGURES 1 to 8 wheredouble adjoining binding wefts are used.

FIGURES 1b to 8b are diagrammatic stepwise fragmentary plan viewsshowing the formation of the fabric of FIGURES 1 to 8 where splitmultiple binding wefts are used.

FIGURE 9 is a digrammatic view of the fabric according to the inventionshowing only the laid-in backing wefts, the knitted chains and the tubesof the guide bars incident to forming the portions of the fabric shown.

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic face view of a multiple binding weft fabricaccording to the invention where the binding wefts in a particularcourse are adjoining, the backing being omitted.

FIGURE 11 is a face view of a completed fabric according to FIGURES 9and 10, including both the multiple adjoining laid-in binding wefts andthe backing.

FIGURE 12 is a diagrammatic face view according to the invention of amultiple binding weft fabric in which the binding wefts are split or onopposite sides of the pile projections, omitting the backing.

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic face view of a split binding weft fabric,omitting the backing, in which there are three binding wefts on eachcourse, two put in before the pile loop is formed and one afterward.

FIGURE 14 is a view similar to FIGURE 13, showing a variation in whichsplit binding wefts are inserted, two before and two after the loops areformed.

FIGURE 14a is a view similar to FIGURE 13 showing a variation in whichsplit binding wefts are inserted, three before and two after the loop isformed.

FIGURE 15 is a diagrammatic face view of a variant form of fabricaccording to the invention, using alternate left and righthand stitcheswith adjoining double binding weft-s, and omitting the backing wefts forclarity of illustration.

FIGURE 16 is a diagrammatic face view according to the invention showinga repeat of left-hand and righthand stitches, in this case threeleft-hand and three righthand, with multiple binding wefts of the splittype.

FIGURE 17 is a diagrammatic face view of a fabric according to theinvention, showing diagonal laid-in binding weft shogged across two:needles.

FIGURE 18 is a view similar to FIGURE 17, in which the laid-in bindingweft is shogged across three needles and extends diagonally across threewales and three succeeding courses.

FIGURE 19 is a view similar to FIGURE 17, in which the laid-in bindingweft in one course is shogged across two needles and in the next courseis shogged across one needle in the same direction.

FIGURE 20 is a photographic view of the face of a pile carpet which iswarp knitted according to FIGURES l to 8 and 1a to 801.

FIGURE 21 is a photographic view of the face of a pile carpet which iswarp knitted according to FIGURES lto8and lbtoSb.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings:

In my application Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, forKnitting Fabric Having Laid-In Weft, I disclose a pile fabric and themethod of making it in which the pile projections are bound by laid-inbinding waits and are not bound in the stitches directly.

In many cases it is desirable to obtain a firmer bind of the pile thanis possible by using single laid-in binding wefts, and in the presentinvention I accomplish the bind by multiple laid-in binding wefts inmany cases.

The single laid-in binding weft produces a pile of relatively very lowdensity, other things being equal, due to the fact that the legs of theloops or tufts are relatively widely spaced.

In some cases it is desirable to produce pile of intermediate or highdensity for a given gauge and a given number of courses per inch.

I find that by employing a plurality, say two or more adjoining bindingwefts in the same course to bind the pile projections, I can obtain anintermediate density. By using a plurality, suitably two or more bindingwefts in the same course which are split, or placed on opposite sides ofthe pile projections, I can obtain a still higher density. Thus, for agiven gauge and number of stitches per inch I obtain a lower and denserpile where there are multiple binding wefts put in together, and a stilllower and still denser pile where there are multiple binding wefts putin split relation.

' The present invention oifers the advantage of improved utilization offace yarn as compared to warp knitted pile fabric in which the pileprojection is bound in by the warp chain.

The invention also gives a warp knitted pile fabric which is very firmand resistant to distortion as compared to previous warp knitted pilefabrics.

' It will further be noted that by using a multiple bind of bindingwefts supplied together, the straight line pile projection orientationnormally secured from a single binding Weft is greatly changed, and whena multiple bind is used, with binding wefts split, the orientation ofthe pile is even more markedly changed as compared with a single laid-inbind. This not only gives a highly unusual texture for the multipleadjoining bind and another unusual texture for the multiple split bind,but it also assures that the effect of the yarn variation is obscured.Furthermore, the multiple adjoining laid-in bind gives more level pilethan the single laid-in bind and the multiple split laid-in bind givesstill more level pile than the multiple adjoining laid-in bind, at theexpense of slightly higher face yarn consumption for a particular yarnheight. Even more pronounced texturing differences can be produced bydeliberately imparting a rotational bias to the pile projections,particularly where they are uncut. This is accomplished by usingleft-hand and righthand stitches in a repeat. Where the pile yarn has aparticular twist (right-hand or left-hand in the last twisti-ngoperation, which may be the ply if the yarn is merely plied or may bethe cable if the yarn is cabled), a lefthand stitch in a particularcourse will give a certain orientation to the multiple binding weftswhich will give rotational bias of the pile. projection, and aright-hand stitch will give a different orientation to the multiplebinding wefts which imparts another rotational bias to the pileprojections. These biases are not truly opposite because the yarn isalways twisted in a particular direction.

In some cases it is preferable to obtain a greater coverage for a givenamount of pile yarn by opening up the binding points for the two sidesof the loop, either throughout the fabric or in certain areas. In thiscase it is very desirable to extend the laid-in binding weft diagonallyacross the wales, either throughout the entire fabric, or in certainareas, in which case the laid-in binding weft can extend coursewise inthe same wale in other areas.

Considering now the fabric and method in detail and referring to mypatent application Serial No. 682,926, filed September 9, 1957, forKnitted Fabric Having Laidln Weft, for other aspects including themechanism, considering this in connection with the warp knitting loom asshown in D. R. Paling, Warp Knitting Technology (1952) chapter 11,Raschel Warp Looms and chapter 12, Raschel Warp Loom Mechanism, andconsidering the drawings in detail:

Considering first FIGURES 1 to 8 inclusive, in connection with FIGURESla to 8a inclusive, for the multiple binding weft form in which aplurality of binding wefts are put in by a single shogging step, inconnection with FIGURES 9, l0 and 11, which show the resulting fabric,.the procedure is as follows:

A stationary vertically extending trick plate 50 as well known in theart in looms of this character is generally of tapered cross sectionwith a side 51 extending generally vertically and supporting the fabricbeing formed and removed by a take-off mechanism and the side 52suitably slightly converging and adjoining the needles. The trick plateat the top has a comb portion 53 and a blunt top 53 shown in FIGURE 1.

The warp knitting loom employed is suitably of the double needle bartype, one needle bar mounting supports 54 for a series of latch needles55, as well known, which extend generally at a slight angle to the trickplate. The latch needles as shown in FIGURE 1 have hook ends 56 at thetop directed away from the trick plate and latches 57 pivoted at 58 andin one position closed against the hook ends. The other needle bar inthe device of the invention at the opposite side of the trick plate isequipped with plush points instead of needles.

In making uncut or loop pile fabric, noncutting plush points 60 aremounted on mounting 61 and the noncntting plush points are in elfectmetallic strips having suitably blunt ends 62, notched at the sidetoward the needles at 63 and filleted slightly at the upper corner 64remote from the needles.

Positioned immediately above the trick plate, and attached to moveacross it is a sinker comb 65 mounted on sinker support 66 on a sinkerbar as well known.

Suitably positioned above the sinkers and extending clear across themachine in a swing bar which carries suitably positioned thereon inorder from front to back, a horizontally slidable mounting whichsupports a knitting yarn guide bar 67 which carries a series of eyes ortubes 68 which guide knitting yarn 70, then a horizontally slidablemounting for a binding weft yarn guide bar 71 which carries a series ofeyes or tubes 72, one for each binding weft yarn end 73; next toward theback there is a horizontally slidable support which supports in slidablerelation the face yarn guide bar 74 which carries eyes or tubes 75, onefor eachface yarn end 76, and finally at the rear, there is ahorizontally slidable support which mounts in sliding relation a backingyarn guide bar 77 which carries a series of eyes or tubes 78, one foreach backing yarn end 80. A latch wire 81 extends across the back of themachine.

In FIGURES l and la, the machine is at zero degrees or. 360 degrees andis taking the first step after completion of the last stitch. Theneedles 55 and the plush point 60 are down or retracted, the sinker comb1s advanced or forward, and the sinker bar with the guide bars 67, 71,74 and 77 is in midposition and moving back. When desired in fabricdesign, the guide bars can shog in either direction any reasonabledistance at different positions. The condition encountered in FIGURE 1is shown in FIGURE 1a where knitting yarn 70, fed by tubes 68 is lockingin the stitch backing yarn 80 and binding weft yarn 73 fed by tubes 78and 72 respectively. One complete face yarn end 76 is shown having pileloop 82, the remaining face yarn ends 76 being broken away.

FIGURE 2 corresponds to 30 degrees advance in the cycle. The position ofthe needles and of the sinkers is the same as that of FIGURE 1. Theguide bars are all the way back out of line with the needles and plushpoints and the plush points 60 have just completed their advance orupward motion preparatory to the formation of pile projections.

As shown in FIGURE 2a, the position of the fabric components issubstantially that of FIGURE 1a, except that the feed tubes have changedtheir position by shogging pile yarn 76 and backing yarn 80 to thepositions as shown.

FIGURES 3 and 3a correspond to the position at 90 degrees in the cycle.The swing bars and the guide bars with it move to the front past theplush points and the face yarn guide bars are now shogged in thepreferred embodiment of the invention in either direction so that in thenext succeeding step loops will be formed around the plush points toproduce pile. The formation of such a loop by shogging is shown at 83 inFIGURE 3a.

In the steps illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 4a at 150 degrees in thecycle, the swing bar has moved back, carrying with it the guide bars,while the needles, plush points and sinker comb remain in the sameposition as they were previously. The backward swing of the swing barcompletes the formation of a loop shown at 83 in FIGURE 4:: around oneof the plush points, while similar loops (not shown) are formed aroundother plush points. As soon as the guide bars have cleared the plushpoints 60, binding weft 73 shogs by moving eyes or tubes 72, for exampleto the right, as shown in FIGURE 4a, and preferably also backing yarn 80shogs, suitably in the same direction (or in the opposite direction ifdesired) by moving guide bar tube 78 as shown in FIGURE 4a.

It will be evident that binding weft yarn is laid in at the position ofFIGURES 4 and 4a to form the hind for one leg of the loop being formedat 83, as indicated by the crossing at 84 in FIGURE 4a. It will beevident that backing yarn 80 is laid in to form the backing in FIG- URES4 and 40, although backing yarn is desirably also laid in in FIGURES land 1a.

The position of FIGURES 5 and 5a at 210 degrees in the cycle correspondsto the completion of the shogging except for the knitting yarn. Theguide bars have all moved forward past the needle position at the plushpoint side, the needles 55 having advanced or raised, and the latches 57have been opened by the previous knitting stitches as shown in FIGURE 5,while the previous knitting stitches have moved down on the needlesbelow the latches, leaving the books of the needles open as shown.FIGURE 5a shows the arrangement of the needles in the position of FIGURE5 as the needles come up.

The position of FIGURES 6 and 6a corresponds to 270 in the cycle. Thisposition shows all guide bars moved back of the plush points andneedles, with the new stitch ready to be formed when it enters the hooksof the needles in the next ste The face yarn ends are now formed inloops 83 around the plush points as shown in FIGURE 6a. The knittingyarn guide bar now shogs, forming loops of knitting yarn 85 which areabout to enter the hooks 0f the needles and wrap around the needlesabove the latches and below the hooks.-

FIGURE 7 at 300 in the cycle shows the guide bars moving to the front,and midway in their swing. The sinker comb 65, which has been inposition across the fell and across the end of the trick plate among theneedles, now retracts to clear the ends of the needles. The needles,having engaged the knitting yarn in their hooks, are beginning toretract and the latches are closed by the previous stitch, while theplush points are also retracting. The previous stitches are now allowedto be cast off as the needles retract. Actually the casting off takesplace between the step of FIGURE 7 and FIGURE 8, and once the stitchesare cast off, the previous face yarn loops are bound by being gripped bythe weftwise stretch of binding weft.

' By observation of FIGURES7 and 7a, it will be evident that loops 85 ofknitting yarn previously formed have now entered the hooks of theneedles at 86 to form a stitch which grips together in a bundle thebinding Weft ends and the backing weft ends, forming a binding stretch87 of binding weft yarn which grips and anchors one side of theprojections of pile yarn 76.

FIGURES 8 and 8a correspond to 330 and show the stitch completed andlocked. comb 65 is fully retracted and is now about to advance again tothe position of zero or 360 (FIGURE 1), the face yarn loops have beencast 01f by the plush points and a new completed pile loop 83 is shownin FIGURES 8 and 8a.

FIGURE 9 illustrates the resulting backing of the fabric which isformed, consisting of knitting chains 88 extending walewise, andanchoring backing yarn in bundles 90. It will be noted that the backingwefts in this case shog over four needles or four tricks, but thefeature of how many needles the backing yarn shogs across is unimportantin the present invention, and a wide variety of backing yarnarrangements may be used.

FIGURE 10 illustrates the face of the fabric of FIG- URES l to 8 and lato 8a, showing as it does the same knitting chains 88, omitting thebacking, but illustrating pile yarn ends 76 running walewiseintermediate between the knitting chains, and not directly locked in thechains, the pile yarn ends being bound by laid-in binding wefts 73 whichare shogged across three needles or three tricks. A distinctive featureof the fabric of the present invention is that between each pair of pileloops 83 walewise there are two binding wefts seen for example at 73'which extend across over the pile and bind the pile projections.

In the form of FIGURES l to 10 inclusive, the multiple (two) bindingwefts which bind each end of each pile projection are in the same courseand lie between adjoining pile projections. It will be evident of coursethat the question of whether two such multiple binding wefts form abundle binding together, or whether three or some other number is usedis a matter of choice within the principles of the invention.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 10 gives a somewhat higher density ofpile, other things being equal, than is obtained using single laid-inbinding wefts. In this sense it gives a texture which is different fromthat obtained by the single laid-in binding wefts.

In some cases it is preferable to obtain a still denser texture for thesame construction dimensions. In FIG- URES 1b to 8b inclusive, and 12, Iillustrate a multiple laid-in binding split weft construction, whichgives such a high density texture.

FIGURE 1b at 0 or 360 shows essentially the same features as FIGURE 1a,and the knitting step is the same as that of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 2b at 30 in the cycle shows the position of the needles and thesinkers the same as in FIGURE 2a, the guide bars all the way back out ofline with the needles and plush points, and the plush points 60 havejust completed their advance or upward motion, preparatory to theformation of pile projections. The face yarn has shogged one needle tothe left forming stretches 91. The laid-in binding wefts have shoggedone needle to the in the cycle The sinker

